Labor leader won't lack legitimacy: Bowen

Chris Bowen has dismissed suggestions that whoever wins Labor's leadership ballot may lack legitimacy if they don't have the support of both caucus and rank-and-file members.

The acting Labor leader says the month-long leadership contest between Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten will open up and galvanise the party, with members and parliamentarians given an equal say under new party rules.

Mr Albanese is tipped to win the support of rank-and-file supporters, but Mr Shorten is said to have majority backing in caucus, raising questions about whether the eventual leader's authority could be undermined by the ballot process.

But Mr Bowen says the new leader will have more legitimacy than "any other political leader in Australia's history", the candidates having sought the backing of the party's 40,000 members.

"I think this is a good process having Bill and Anthony go around the country ... talking to ordinary people, ordinary Labor supporters and putting the case as to why they can best be the alternative prime minister of Australia," Mr Bowen told Sky News on Sunday.

"If they can put that case to Labor party members and supporters, then they can put the case to the Australian people over the next three years."

However, he admitted it would be impossible to win the leadership without significant backing in caucus.

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"It will be impossible to get very little support in the caucus and big support in the branch membership," he said.

"That's just not going to happen."

Mr Bowen says Labor - racked by leadership instability over the past three years - needs to implement a new culture around how it chooses its leader.

He also expected other political parties to follow its lead on rank-and-file involvement.

"Throwing open the doors, inviting 40,000 people to share with members of the caucus the decision on who should lead the party, is important," he said.

The former treasurer also revealed both leadership candidates had asked him to become shadow treasurer in their frontbench teams.

Mr Albanese also said the ballot would provide the new leader with "enormous legitimacy".

The leadership candidate says the national executive will meet on Monday to determine whether debates will be just for party members or open to the public, but added he's "pretty relaxed" about the eventual format of the events.

"This is an opportunity for Labor to show that we're inclusive, that we're open, that we're not frightened of debating ideas," he told Sky News.

"If this is done right, this can give us enormous momentum at the beginning of what is going to be a difficult period."

Asked if there was a risk that one candidate could have the support of party members, and the other of caucus, the former deputy prime minister said "the great thing about a ballot of 40,000 people is that no one knows".

"You can't have three or four people in a room or in a restaurant deciding the future of the Labor Party - I think that's a good thing, I think that brings with it enormous legitimacy," Mr Albanese said.

"I don't think that there is anyone who would argue that either Bill or I don't have very broad support within the caucus."

Mr Shorten told the Seven Network that his first job as leader would be to work on party unity, saying Labor had learnt from the instability of the past few years.

"(Mr Albanese) and I have both agreed that whoever wins, that we've got to, one, conduct next 28 days civilly, and two, that once the verdict's over then that's it, and we get behind each other for the next three years," Mr Shorten said.

"Because that's what our voters and that's what Australians expect of their political representatives, to think about them and not themselves."

Former agricultural minister Joel Fitzgibbon said caucus may be influenced by the mood of the rank-and-file, making redundant any concerns about a split between the caucus and party members.

"This is a first try at this," he told ABC Television.

"Let's see where it takes us. I believe that undoubtedly that while the caucus won't know the outcome of the rank and file vote, I think you'll probably feel the momentum, the atmosphere, throughout the election campaign.